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The question on the lips of every Juventus supporter following Andrea Pirlo’s unveiling as manager was just how would his preferred side look?
He never took charge of a youth team game, lasting nine days in that role before the call came from Andrea Agnelli to replace the axed Maurizio Sarri.
Pirlo has got his feet under the table and with the new season a matter of weeks away, the scrutiny over his system and tactics is intensifying.
Andrea Pirlo is working hard to put together a Juventus side ready to pull off his tactics
Pirlo (left) wants to maximise Cristiano Ronaldo (right) and so is eyeing another striker signing
He will look to innovate a side that had become laboured with their obsession to have constant possession of the ball. Sarri’s football is mathematical and despite winning the league by a point, all personality had been sucked out this group.
Juventus in Latin means ‘youth’ and it seems rather fitting given Pirlo is moving forward with the new Juventus young and strong, robust in midfield and with a strong propensity for running: an element lacking in the last five years.
Pirlo still has a few pieces of the jigsaw yet to acquire but Sportsmail looks at what is in store for the inexperienced coach.
THREE AT THE BACK
It appears increasingly likely that Pirlo is going to lean towards a 3-4-1-2 system.
The move harks back to the Antonio Conte era, the start of this dominant run that has them eyeing a tenth straight Serie A title this season.
The three central defenders, at least initially, will be Merih Demiral, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, awaiting the return of Matthjis De Ligt by the end of October as he recovers from surgery.
Giorgio Chiellini (left) looks set to be given another run this season even at the age of 36
This choice to go with three at the back stems from two needs: it allows the side to defend with five in difficult moments with the full backs ready to tuck back in and also it offers more protection to Wojech Szczesny on corner kicks with an extra defender in the middle of the penalty area to alleviate threats from set-pieces.
De Ligt will be a guaranteed starter when he is back to fitness and Chiellini, at 36, is the one likely to make way.
New full-backs appear to be on the radar given this system would put greater emphasis on them expending more energy than under Sarri.
Alessandro Florenzi is one name been touted, Robin Gosens another, but if neither arrive it will be down to Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado to ensure Pirlo’s system doesn’t collapse before it even makes it off the ground.
Eventually when Matthjis de Ligt (right) is back fit Chiellini will hand over the baton to him
MIDFIELD OPTIONS APLENTY
The ponderous nature of possession under Sarri was what irked the board and supporters so much. Yes, they won plenty of games but the exciting football Agnelli thought he was getting never quite arrived.
It is imperative that Pirlo does not follow the same path.
The surprise arrival of Weston McKennie will open up new tactical scenarios for Pirlo with the player capable of playing as a right back, as a central defender, as a midfielder and even as an attacking midfielder.
McKennie, 22, is capable of combining defence and midfield and will prove a useful addition if Pirlo continues to switch between three and four at the back, making use of multiple system.
The arrival of Weston McKennie gives Pirlo greater tactical flexibility across his midfield
The decision to have an increasing number of young players in the middle of the park is no coincidence: Rodrigo Bentancur (23), Arthur (24), Federico Bernardeschi (26), Rabiot (25) and Dejan Kulusevski (20) guarantee energy and creativity to ease the pressure on Ronaldo to be the conductor and the orchestra.
Rabiot was the club’s best player when football returned after lockdown while Bentancur was in contention for player of the year honours after a fine campaign.
Arthur is the big money arrival in the midfield, as is Kulusevski and so with a demanding system in which midfielders will be expected to expend great energy – something Pirlo did brilliantly to avoid as a player – will mean there are plenty of minutes to go round.
DZEKO NEW FALSE NINE
According to ‘Corriere dello Sport’, Pirlo called Roma striker Edin Dzeko guaranteeing him a new role in this 3-4-1-2 behind Ronaldo and Dybala.
On paper it seems odd to shift a 34-year-old behind two main strikers but a coexistence between three great players with different and complementary characteristics could prove a masterstroke. The Bosnian is very technical and strong in the air, Ronaldo remains a phenomenon and Dybala is the player that has been missing in Turin since the days of Alessandro Del Piero.
Dzeko would not be a penalty area attacker that he is in Rome because Pirlo’s offence is designed to maximise Ronaldo and Dybala.
But the Bosnian is reportedly ready to accept the new challenge up north in an almost unprecedented role for him. Reinventing the wheel at 34 is not easy, but with Ronaldo and Dybala as partners in crime it could prove too good a chance to pass up.
Pirlo is keen to secure Edin Dzeko (left) and deploy him behind two main strikers in this system
Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala would remain the focal point of the side in a two-man strike pairing
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